Microsoft Disables Safedisc DRM On Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7 SP1, & Windows 8/8.1 | DSOGaming

Last month, we informed you about a Windows 10 update that disabled Safedisc DRM on Microsoft’s latest operating system. Well, it appears that Microsoft has applied this security update on all its other operating systems as well. This basically means that the Safedisc DRM is disabled on Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, thus rendering a number of games unplayable.

As Microsoft noted for this security update:

“In addition to the changes that are listed for the vulnerabilities that are described in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS15-097, this security bulletin addresses a defense-in-depth update for the secdrv.sys driver, a third-party driver. The update turns off the service for the secdrv.sys driver. This may affect the ability to run some older games.”

Thankfully, Microsoft has provided a workaround. Those interested in running such games will have to either temporarily turn on the service for the secdrv.sys driver by running certain commands, or by editing the registry.

Kudos to our reader “Mauro De Silva” for bringing this to our attention!

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John Mellinger

Wow… That’s all I can say about that.
fnd

What games would be affected?
- FamiliarrStrangerr
  
  NFS titles such as UG2, MW, Carbon
  there are more though
- Martin
  
  www DOT gameburnworld DOT com/protectedgameslist.shtml
  
  Ctrl+F safedisc
CervixCreampier

If developers don’t f’ you over with DRM, Microshaft will. Take that you filthy DRM companies. Keep your “protection” mechanism on consoles.
Min64

At least they provided a work around. however ive yet to find a game that doesnt work.
blackjohn

Microsoft 2015 : Making PC gaming our priority.
- CervixCreampier
  
  Its good, they’re showing DRM companies putting shoddy DRM will f’ the consumer. And f’ed consumers can get the crack. Infact anyone in their right mind will.
  
  I hope Sony keeps Denuvo limited to PS4. We don’t need that filthy DRM on PC.
  - SincereGhost
    
    What? Denuvo was on PC before ps4 and still is GTA V uses it MGS V uses it, BF Hardline uses it.
    - Amir
      
      GTA is not using denuvo.
      - SincereGhost
        
        Are you sure? I keep seeing articles that say that is does and that it doesn’t.
      - Amir
        
        yep, it’s some sort of in-house DRM tied to rockstar social club.
  - Brian
    
    Umm… Some PC games have Denuvo drm.
    
    Lords of the Fallen, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Battlefield Hardline, Batman Arkham Knight, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Mad Max.
    - Amir
      
      i guess he know that, he just don’t want it on PC
  - Ant
    
    What about Windows’ DRMs?
Silviu

Why?
- Sean
  
  Because it’s a security risk.
  - Silviu
    
    M$ bs
    - Brian
      
      How is it bullsh*t?
      - Silviu
        
        i think they were able to fix it without disabling that service that allow us to play!
      - Sean
        
        Not to defend Microsoft but it’s in their best interest to disable such things if the OS can be compromised.
      - Silviu
        
        why the os wasn’t compromised so far? and everything was fine until now
      - djghost1133
        
        well its far more common for an exploit to be abused when it gets popular.
      - Sean
        
        You make the assumption everything was fine before.
      - johnqp11
        
        It’s not made by Microsoft. It would illegal for them to modify the DRM. Blocking it is really the only legal option they had.
FasterThanFTL

GameCopyWorld to the rescue.
mark

Or you can just download the crack.
- lucben999
  
  But piracy is a crime, even though pirates are constantly saving our a**es for free whenever DRM sh*ts the bed, which happens constantly, why are pirates so entitled?
- Hector
  
  why would I want to crack a original game? I should just pirate it from the start and be done with it.
  - Amir
    
    because after this update you can’t play your original games with this drm, they wont run anymore
Hector

very noob question: there is a way in Windows 10 to activate/install the service so you can run safedisc and securom DRM games?
Amir

this is why DRMs are cancer. first SecuROM and now this. guess who made that SecuRom s**t ? denuvo guys. i guess in a few years we will see how new windows updates make denuvo titles unplayable, this hurts PC Gaming and consumers very bad, you can’t play your old games with these kinds of DRMs, this also hurt backward compatibility if M$ keep updating and blocking these DRMs and publisher using these types of DRMs and refusing to update their games.
- John Hitman
  
  Guess who made denuvo & secuROM?
  
  Sony ! to be precise it’s : Sony Digital Audio Disc Corporation
  
  also, Sony created the CD.
  - Amir
    
    yes, looks like sony is very interested in PC market. by interested i mean “wants to stop it”
    
    also sony didn’t created the CD, it was russell who invented it and Sony & Philips developed it.
    - John Hitman
      
      sony obsession is with DRM, they’re not at war on PC gaming.
      
      They have DRM on every disc , from the simple audio CD to the bu-ray.
      They have to finds a way to protects their clients copyrights.
arkon

So thats why people still remain on Windows 7/8.1 because is better(workaround) for old programs/old games.

Windows 10 only for DX12 games,if will have what to play.
- Alarun Kan
  
  Windows 10 is not friendly. i hate the fact that in the future we are forced to use it.
altdoom

Thats what cracked .exe’s are for, even if I own the game I install a crack.
- Alarun Kan
  
  the same here. i make a DVD back up from Steam and i add the cracked .exe. So any time i need my games i know where to find it. but does games with 30gb + is a problem for me, DVD’s is not a solution anymore.

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